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9/8/2017 |
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HURRICANE IRMA: POTENTIAL LOCAL IMPACT & RELIEF EFFORTS |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS
Karen Black
(843) 723-3635 X120
communications@mywcf.org
Julie Ellis
Public Relations/Communications Manager
O: (843) 916-7235
C: (843) 592-9872
Julie.Ellis@VisitMyrtleBeach.com
HURRICANE IRMA: POTENTIAL LOCAL IMPACT & RELIEF EFFORTS
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Waccamaw Community Foundation Provide Relief Fund for Grand Strand
MYRTLE BEACH/MURRELLS INLET, S.C.: September 8, 2017 – The Area Recovery Cooperative, Inc. (ARC) in partnership with Waccamaw Community Foundation, a philanthropic institution serving Horry and Georgetown Counties, administers the “Help The Grand Strand” disaster recovery fund to provide relief and recovery support for our community.
After a visit to the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina to learn about disaster recovery, local leaders recognized the potential unmet needs that can arise within the local community after a natural disaster. The fund was initiated to allow individuals and businesses to help those in need. Money raised does not go directly to individuals, but is granted to local nonprofit agencies providing specific human relief needs for local citizens.
“The Area Recovery Cooperative and our local business community are pleased to work with the Waccamaw Community Foundation on this,” said Brad Dean, President and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and President of the ARC. “It’s partnerships like these that strengthen communities and make all of our efforts more efficient.”
During and after a disaster, when damage is being assessed, immediate relief is available to be deployed for both coastal and inland residents of Horry and Georgetown Counties who are impacted most. Ongoing fundraising then assists with longer term recovery efforts.
As of today, we know that no matter the path of Hurricane Irma or where she makes landfall, families and businesses in our communities or neighboring communities will be impacted in profound ways.
In anticipation of the potential effects of Hurricane Irma, the disaster recovery fund is now accepting donations. The funds collected for the “Help The Grand Strand” disaster recovery fund will be used for human services that may be unmet, enabling the residents of the entire Grand Strand area to recover as quickly as possible.
“In times of struggle when the community comes together, Waccamaw Community Foundation is here to provide trustworthy philanthropic services,” said Ruell Hicks, WCF Board Chair. “We work year-round with local nonprofits and vet new organizations, providing expert grantmaking administration for communities in Horry and Georgetown Counties.”
HOW CAN YOU HELP NOW, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE STORM?
1. Mail a check
Make your check payable to Waccamaw Community Foundation. In the memo line of your check, specify “Help The Grand Strand” disaster recovery fund.
Mail to:
Waccamaw Community Foundation
3655 S. Highway 17 Business
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
2. Pay by phone
Call WCF at 1-843-357-4483, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In case of evacuation, additional information about phone bank opportunities and TEXT-TO-DONATE will be added to the WCF website’s Disaster Relief webpage.
3. Pay Online
Click here to learn more and process your payment online. Please specify “Help The Grand Strand” disaster recovery fund in the Designation drop-down menu. Your generous donation offers assistance to local citizens in the area impacted by the hurricane. The fund also helps ensure the swift and efficient economic recovery of the Grand Strand area that you and millions of visitors come to enjoy year after year.
You may also designate a donation to the Georgetown County Disaster Relief Fund which provides support specifically for Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties. This fund was created as part of The Emergency Operations Plan among partner organizations Waccamaw Community Foundation, Black River United Way, Salvation Army of Georgetown County, and Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). Its purpose is to aggregate giving within the local community and administer grants to local nonprofit agencies providing specific human relief needs for local citizens.
About Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce:
Since 1938, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has stood as the unified voice of the Grand Strand's business community. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the MBACC its five-star accreditation, one of only several chambers in South Carolina to earn this distinction. The MBACC serves Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Little River, Atlantic Beach, Garden City Beach, Loris, Conway, Aynor, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. For more information, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com.
About Waccamaw Community Foundation:
Waccamaw Community Foundation seeks to improve quality of life across Horry and Georgetown Counties by offering individuals, families and organizations the opportunity to establish named charitable funds that support the community through grants and scholarships. Founded in 1999, Waccamaw Community Foundation connects people with the causes they care about, provides personalized service and helps donors leave a lasting legacy. To learn more visit www.waccamawcf.org or call (843) 357-4483.
Waccamaw Community Foundation is an affiliate organization of Coastal Community Foundation.
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